The ambitious Parikrama Project or the Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project in Puri is turning out to be a headache & nightmare for the locals as well as tourists.
As per reports, the under-construction project has rendered the Grand Road (Badadanda) at the front and around the Srimandir inaccessible for locals as well as visiting tourist. The broken roads, dug-up pavements and stone chips scattered all over the place have reportedly made life of daily commuters and tourists more difficult, triggering demands for completion of projects as soon as possible.
The situation has become particularly difficult for the locals of Baseli Sahi, Markandeswar Sahi and Harachandi Sahi who have to tread at least 3-5 kms more in order to get to the other side of the Temple.
Narrating his ordeal, a senior servitor of the 12th century shrine, Hajuri Krushnachandra Khuntia said, “This is very stressful for us. We have to take a longer route to get to the temple or to the other side of the temple. To get to Bali Sahi or Baseli Sahi, we have to walk for 3 kms more.”
“While the darshan of the Lord was satisfying, I am sorry to see such mismanagement in the Temple. They are letting us out from the North Gate, while our shoes are kept far away. And with this construction going on, it is very painful for us to walk barefoot so far on this path filled with gravel and sharp stone chips," said tourist Suchi Doval.
On the other hand, the Odisha Bridge & Constructions Corporation (OBCC) has acknowledged the inconvenience and assured to complete the work by the end of this year.
Speaking to OTV, OBCC Superintendent Engineer, Prabhat Panigrahi said, “We are trying to open the shops from Singhadwara to the King’s Palace by tomorrow. As far as the locals and tourists are concerned, we will open a pedestrian path for them too.”
(Reported By Madhusudan Mishra, OTV)